There are 2 books I read every summer holiday and have done so for many years. The first is my literary indulgence as it is a very easy book to read under an umbrella on the beach.
“There are songs that come from the blue-eyed grass, from the dust of a thousand country roads” is the opening to The Bridges of Madison County. This is the first of a trilogy written by American author Robert James Waller.
The story involves 2 characters. Robert Kincaid is a free spirited wondering National Geographic photographer from Washington State. Italian raised, Francesca Johnson is a university educated ex school teacher who now lives on a farm in Iowa with her husband and 2 children.
The story is based on a chance meeting between Robert and Francesca and the 4 days they spend together in 1965 whilst Robert is photographing the derelict covered bridges of Madison County. Their connection is sparked by a common appreciation of the poetry of Yeats. The conservative nature of 1960’s middle America is reflected in Waller’s writing. The journey Robert and Francesca take over the ensuing 24 years is explored.
The imagery of the writing immersed me in the beauty of Iowa and created an interest in the bridges themselves. The book is fictional but is presented as a novelisation of a true story and I enjoyed this style. One of Waller’s most cited passages from the book is, “In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once, and never again, no matter how many lifetimes you live”.
Whilst the book was rejected by America’s literary elite, it debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in 1992 and remained on the list for over 3 years.
There is no doubt this is a romance novel and if you do not enjoy this genre it is not for you. However, if you do, and have a summer afternoon to while away (the book is only 171 pages long) it may be your summer literary indulgence. For now the book is back on my bookshelf until next summer holidays.
